Coloring filament for three-dimensionally printing colored objects
AssigneeMakerBot Industries, LLC
InventorsCharles John Haider, Michael Joseph Kobida, Cedric James Kovacs-Johnson, Taylor Michael Fahey, Tim Andreas Osswald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filament for use with a printer head of a 3D printer includes an exterior surface and an interior surface having color selectively applied thereto, where the color of the interior surface is visible through the exterior surface, and where the color is applied only to the interior surface such that the color remains substantially isolated from components of the printer head when traveling therethrough.
Claims19
A filament for use with a printer head of a 3D printer, the filament comprising:
- an exterior surface;
- a cross-sectional profile defining a void having a pathway to the exterior surface;
- and
- an interior surface having color selectively applied thereto through the pathway into the void, the color of the interior surface being visible through the exterior surface, wherein the color is applied only to the interior surface through the pathway into the void such that the color remains substantially isolated from components of the printer head when traveling therethrough.
An assembly that is configured to be coupled to and communicate with a 3D printer having a printer head, the assembly comprising:
- a color-application unit configured to receive a filament and direct the filament to the printer head of the 3D printer, the filament including an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a cross-sectional profile defining a void having a pathway from the exterior surface to the interior surface;
- and
- a color applicator coupled to the color-application unit, the color applicator operable to selectively apply color to the interior surface of the filament through the pathway into the void and not an exterior surface of the filament.
A method for preparing a filament for use with a printer head of a 3D printer, the method comprising:
- receiving the filament at a color-application unit, the filament including an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a cross-sectional profile defining a void having a pathway from the exterior surface to the interior surface;
- applying color, by a color applicator coupled to the color-application unit, to the interior surface of the filament through the pathway into the void without applying color to an exterior surface of the filament;
- and
- directing the filament from the color-application unit to the printer head of the 3D printer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.